Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs
2
1 "Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs" is based on an appendix to Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines (2015), by the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force (bit.ly/sosl- taskforce) of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Preven- tion. The original document is available free for download at bit.ly/respondingsuicide. Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs Special report ❋ by Franklin Cook, Unified Community Solutions Among recommendations from the new national guidelines Respond- ing to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide is "that services for the suicide bereaved [be] implemented based on evidence of their effectiveness.” Taking into account that suicide grief support is an emerging field of practice, the recommendation asks caregivers to ensure that “where evidence-based practices are lacking … services are congruent with widely accepted principles.” In an appendix to the guidelines, the principles that can be used by program developers and service providers to assess the validity of programs and interventions is outlined as follows: • Employ comprehensive strategies with multiple components to ad-dress a wide range of risk and protective factors and various individual, relationship, and community needs. • Use evidence-based grief support practices, interventions sup- ported by research, and approaches to care based on accepted theories and practices. • Meet needs across the lifespan, using activities designed for people of all ages and appropriate to the age and developmental level of the individual. • Provide culturally appropriate services congruent with people’s race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, occupation, health literacy, communication needs, etc. • In order to do no harm, establish physical and psychological safety for the individual and employ measures to minimize the duration and possible negative impact of interventions. • Intervene in person-centered ways that seek to understand the individual, his or her unique circumstances, and how that indi- ❋ The source document for this report is Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines, by the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The use of the Action Alliance logo is intended to credit the SOSL TF as the author of the source document, but it does not imply endorsement of this report by the Action Alliance. June 9, 2015
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Transcript of Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs
1
"Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs" is based on an appendix to Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines (2015), by the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force (bit.ly/sosl-taskforce) of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Preven-tion. The original document is available free for download at bit.ly/respondingsuicide.
Principles of Suicide Bereavement Support Programs
Special report❋ by Franklin Cook, Unified Community Solutions
Among recommendations from the new national guidelines Respond-ing to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide is "that services for the suicide bereaved [be] implemented based on evidence of their effectiveness.” Taking into account that suicide grief support is an emerging field of practice, the recommendation asks caregivers to ensure that “where evidence-based practices are lacking … services are congruent with widely accepted principles.” In an appendix to the guidelines, the principles that can be used by program developers and service providers to assess the validity of programs and interventions is outlined as follows:
• Employ comprehensive strategies with multiple components to ad-dress a wide range of risk and protective factors and various individual, relationship, and community needs.
• Use evidence-based grief support practices, interventions sup-ported by research, and approaches to care based on accepted theories and practices.
• Meet needs across the lifespan, using activities designed for people of all ages and appropriate to the age and developmental level of the individual.
• Provide culturally appropriate services congruent with people’s race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, occupation, health literacy, communication needs, etc.
• In order to do no harm, establish physical and psychological safety for the individual and employ measures to minimize the duration and possible negative impact of interventions.
• Intervene in person-centered ways that seek to understand the individual, his or her unique circumstances, and how that indi-
❋ The source document for this report is Responding to Grief, Trauma, and Distress After a Suicide: U.S. National Guidelines, by the Survivors of Suicide Loss Task Force of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The use of the Action Alliance logo is intended to credit the SOSL TF as the author of the source document, but it does not imply endorsement of this report by the Action Alliance.
June 9, 2015
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vidual’s personal preferences and goals can be maximally incor-porated into the process—and ensure that people engage in ser-vices voluntarily.
• Share responsibility by assisting the individual in regaining control through considering the person as an active partner in—rather than a passive recipient of—services.
• Address trauma, taking into account that suicide itself can be intrinsically traumatic and that certain interventions or activities may impose further trauma—both physical and emo-tional. Services should be trauma-informed, and access should be provided to additional resources and/or a higher level of care for trauma-related issues.
• Rely on strengths by sharing responsibility for problem solving and constructive action through affirming that an individual, even while in crisis, can marshal personal strengths and assist in the resolution of the emergency.
• Take a holistic approach by helping the person meet his or her multiple, various, and individualistic needs—and by not limiting services according to caregiver or agency specialty or third-party priorities.
• Treat the person as a credible source by respecting the person’s point of view as legitimate and treating the information—factual or emotional—that the person supplies as important to understanding the individual’s needs and strengths.
• Include recovery, resilience, and natural supports by contri-buting to the individual’s larger journey toward growth and fruition. Interventions should preserve dignity; foster a sense of hope; and promote engagement with formal systems and informal resources, including peer support.
• Focus on prevention by implementing measures that address the person’s most crucial unmet needs, risk and protective factors, and especially any risk of suicide.
REFERENCES
California Department of Public Health. (2009). Domestic violence primary prevention technical assistance and training project: Resource assessment summary report. Sacramento, CA: Transforming Communities: Technical Assistance, Training and Resource Center.
Center for Mental Health Services. (2009). Practice guidelines: Core elements for responding to mental health crises (HHS Publication No. SMA-09-4427). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
